1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to the field of camera bags. More particularly, the present invention relates to dividers for partitioning the interior space of a camera bag into different sized compartments to store and carry equipment such as cameras, parts and accessories or other similar objects.
2. Description of The Prior Art
Professional and amateur photographers often store and carry many different photographic items for taking photographs in different circumstances. Cameras utilize interchangeable lenses, and many photographers want such lenses organized in a camera bag so that they are available for quick lens changing.
In many situations, two or more camera bodies may be carried in a camera bag, which the photographer may load with different films so that he or she can switch cameras as conditions change. For example, a sports photographer may carry two 35 mm camera bodies, loaded one with high speed black and white film for newspaper photographs and the other with color or slower film for magazine pictures. The photographer may need different telephoto lenses, a normal lens and wide angle lenses and may also carry one or more light meters, different types of flash attachments, filters and extenders.
In normal use, it is desirable to keep these items organized and protected. This organization may be crucial in certain situations where the photographer must change lenses rapidly without having to reach under unneeded items. It is also essential to provide sufficient protection to photographic equipment. Cameras are precision equipment that may be damaged by a sudden jolt. Lenses can be scratched and jarred out of alignment if not properly cared for.
When cameras are placed in a camera bag with a traditional U-shaped cutout portion of a divider supporting the lens which extends from the camera body, other camera accessories which are in the bag and adjacent the extending lens may scratch or dent the lens exterior or themselves be scratched or dented as the camera bag is carried. The user is forced to place newspaper, a rag or some other partition means between adjacent items in order to avoid this problem.
The following fifteen (15) prior art patents were uncovered in the pertinent field of the present invention:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 1,415,776 issued to Bourne on May 9, 1922 for "Film Holder" (hereafter "the Bourne Patent"); PA1 2. U.S. Pat. No. 1,478,202 issued to Cadwell on Dec. 18, 1923 for "Combination Hand Bag And Camera Carrying Case" (hereafter "the Cadwell Patent"); PA1 3. U.S. Pat. No. 1,555,127 issued to Lending on Sep. 29, 1925 for "Combined Hand Bag And Camera" (hereafter "the Lending Patent"); PA1 4. U.S. Pat. No. 2,665,801 issued to Berkman on Jan. 12, 1954 for "Combined Photograph Camera Carrying Case And Flashbulb Holder" (hereafter "the Berkman Patent"); PA1 5. U.S. Pat. No. 2,691,401 issued to Kontoff et al. on Oct. 12, 1954 for "Expansible Carrying Case For Camera Parts Or The Like" (hereafter "the Kontoff Patent"); PA1 6. U.S. Pat. No. 2,907,363 issued to Valette on Oct. 6, 1959 for "Binocular Cases" (hereafter "the Valette Patent"); PA1 7. U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,286 issued to Cyr on Sep. 9, 1986 for "Camera Bag With Compensation For Variable Camera-Support Distance Below Lens, And With Improved Access" (hereafter "the Cyr Patent"); PA1 8. U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,819 issued to Jakobsen on May 29, 1990 for "Air Permeable Camera Case" (hereafter "the Jakobsen Patent"); PA1 9. U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,004 issued to Weinreb on Oct. 18, 1994 for "Camera Bag Divider System" (hereafter "the Weinreb Patent"); PA1 10. European Patent No. 580,917 for "Flexible Divider System For Camera Carrying Case" (hereafter "the '917 European Patent"); PA1 11. British Patent No. 1,066,021 issued to Doherty et al. on Apr. 19, 1967 for "Improvements In And Relating To Cases For Cameras And Like Articles Having A Projecting Hand Grip" (hereafter "the Doherty Patent"); PA1 12. German Patent No. 968,239 (hereafter "the '239 German Patent"); PA1 13. German Patent No. 1,155,321 (hereafter "the '321 German Patent"); PA1 14. German Patent No. 2,061,691 (hereafter "the '691 German Patent"); and PA1 15. German Patent No. 2,910,112 (hereafter "the '112 German Patent").
The Bourne Patent discloses a film holder. It includes a case with a plurality of compartments adapted to receive film rolls.
The Cadwell Patent discloses a combination hand bag and a camera carrying case.
The Lending Patent discloses a combined hand bag and a camera carrier.
The Berkman Patent discloses a combined photograph camera carrying case and a flashbulb holder.
The Kontoff Patent discloses an expansible carrying case for camera parts. The carrying case includes an auxiliary pocket. Both the case and the pocket can expand into larger compartments.
The Valette Patent discloses binocular cases.
The Cyr Patent discloses dividers for a camera bag and having U-shaped cutouts that support a lens attached thereto and which extends out from the camera body. The divider supports various sized camera bodies with a telephoto or other lens attached.
The Jakobsen Patent discloses an air permeable camera case. The case has an air permeable resilient body and air permeable resilient end plates, which form the camera case.
The Weinreb Patent discloses a camera bag divider system. It includes a rigid divider and a self-opening divider means. The upper divider section of the self-opening divider can bend along configuration lines until they are in substantially horizontal positions. Basically, the bendable dividers are used for preventing items in the bottom compartments from striking the lens when the bag is turned on its side or upside down.
The '917 European Patent discloses the same flexible divider system as the Weinreb Patent.
The '021 British Patent discloses a case for a camera. It provides a hand grip which automatically closes when the camera is inserted into the case and which automatically opens upon the camera being withdrawn from the case.
The '239 German Patent, as disclosed from the figures shows a case.
The '321 German Patent, as disclosed from the figures shows a removable lens cover which can be attached to a camera case.
The '691 German Patent, as disclosed from the figures shows a cover for covering a video camera.
The '112 German Patent discloses a carrying case for a camera and accessories. It includes a central case body and four lids which completely or partially enclose the central case body and are fixed on the body so that they can be moved relative to the same and can be easily removed when required.
It is desirable to have a very efficient and also very effective design and construction of a lens-gate divider system which is not only functional in providing quick access to the camera body with attached lens, but also provides a self contained barrier means to partition the camera bag into selected compartments with the divider serving as a barrier to prevent adjacent items from coming in contact with each other.